Water/Sewer Plant Mechanic, Lead

Compensation Range $28.70 - $38.95

Please note: This job opening may close earlier than the stated date, due to high candidate volume. If interested, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Who We Are:

At the City of High Point, we celebrate the creator in everyone. Building on our rich cultural history steeped in industrialism and innovation, our employees seek not only to transform themselves, but the world around us. We are collaborators, we are makers, we are visionaries.


We invite you to explore the many opportunities to serve our community, by sharing your talents, skills, and expertise. You'll join a diverse team of over 1300 individuals dedicated not just to making a career, but a difference; because what we create in High Point, changes the world!

Our Core Values:

• Stewardship: We manage the city’s resources responsibly and make decisions that sustain High Point’s future. In other words, we take care of what we have today to build what we’ll need tomorrow
• Welcoming: We create a friendly, open environment where residents, partners, and visitors feel valued and embraced. We want everyone who connects with High Point to feel welcomed, like they belong here.
• Integrity: We act with honesty, transparency, and ethical responsibility in everything we do. That means doing what’s right – even when no one’s watching. This is how we earn our community’s trust.
• Productivity: We stay focused on results, fostering creativity, innovation, and outside-the-box thinking. We don’t just get things done – we find smarter, better ways to do them.

What We Offer:
The City of High Point offers a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience. We also offer generous benefit package for full-time employees which include but are not limited to:

• A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service
• 401K and 457B Retirement Plans
• PTO earned within first year
• 13 Paid Holidays per year
• Tuition Reimbursement Plan
• Competitive medical, dental, and vision plans effective day one

What You'll Do:

The Lead Water/Sewer Plant Mechanic leads and participates in the maintenance, repair, troubleshooting, and replacement of machinery and equipment essential to the operation of water and/or wastewater treatment plants and pump/lift stations. This role provides day-to-day leadership and technical guidance to utility plant maintenance personnel, helping ensure equipment and facilities remain safe, reliable, and ready to support continuous plant operations. Work is performed under the general supervision of the Assistant Superintendent, with responsibility for coordinating maintenance activities and addressing a variety of skilled mechanical challenges.

Essential Tasks & Responsibilities:

Essential Tasks

• Plans, coordinates, and directs repair, replacement, and maintenance activities for utility plant equipment and systems.
• Inspects equipment and maintains accurate records and reports on equipment condition, maintenance activities, and repairs.
• Trains, guides, and leads utility plant mechanics and assists with employee performance evaluations.
• Troubleshoots pumping and treatment equipment and directs repair efforts to restore equipment to proper operation.
• Identifies equipment, materials, and improvements needed for annual budget planning and prepares related purchase and budget documentation.
• Coordinates the installation of new equipment, performs and oversees pump and motor alignment, and maintains an organized inventory of spare parts and supplies.
• Schedules, assigns, and monitors preventive maintenance activities, including inspection and lubrication of bearings and gearboxes, replacement of filters and belts, and checks of packing, temperature, vibration, and other operating conditions.
• Leads and participates in the overhaul and repair of water and wastewater treatment machinery and equipment, including centrifugal and positive displacement pumps, grit collectors, chemical feeders, conveyors, mechanical grinders, air compressors, blowers, and ventilation systems.
• Ensures maintenance and repair activities are performed safely and in accordance with OSHA requirements and City safety standards and policies.
• Performs additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED equivalent.
• Valid driver’s license issued by North Carolina or another state.
• Minimum of five years of mechanical experience, preferably in a municipal water and/or wastewater environment.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with City departments, employees, contractors, and the public.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to communicate and conduct oneself professionally.
• Ability to safely climb ladders at pump/lift stations and perform work in a variety of plant and field environments.

Preferred Skills

• Experience maintaining and repairing wastewater treatment equipment.
• Experience operating a boom truck.

Physical Requirements

This position requires the physical ability to safely perform hands-on mechanical work in water and wastewater treatment plants, pump/lift stations, and other utility facilities. Work may be performed indoors or outdoors, including in confined spaces, underground lift stations, and areas with elevated noise levels.

Hearing and Communication

• Ability to hear and understand normal speech, two-way radio communications, equipment alarms, warning signals, and other sounds necessary to safely perform the job.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with supervisors, coworkers, and others, including during emergency situations and while working in noisy environments.
• Hearing ability must meet applicable City standards for safe performance of the essential functions of the position.

Vision

• Ability to see clearly at near and far distances, with or without corrective lenses, as necessary to safely perform mechanical work.
• Ability to read equipment labels, gauges, work orders, manuals, measurements, and other job-related information.
• Ability to judge distances and spatial relationships while operating equipment, climbing ladders, handling tools, and performing mechanical work.
• Ability to distinguish colors when necessary to safely identify equipment, wiring, piping, controls, warning indicators, and other components.
• Ability to see adequately in low-light conditions and during emergency or nighttime work.

Respiratory and Sensory Requirements

• Ability to use required respiratory protective equipment, including enclosed or full-face respiratory protection, when assigned.
• Ability to use sight, hearing, smell, and touch to identify equipment conditions, environmental hazards, and potential safety concerns.

Physical Strength and Mobility

• Medium to heavy physical work, including exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, up to 20 pounds frequently, and up to 10 pounds constantly to move objects and equipment.
• Ability to walk, stand, climb, balance, bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, reach, stretch, lift, carry, and sit or work in a variety of positions and on uneven surfaces.
• Ability to climb and descend ladders at pump/lift stations while carrying or wearing necessary tools and personal protective equipment.
• Ability to work safely in confined and enclosed spaces and maneuver in areas with limited space.
• Ability to use both hands and arms for frequent reaching, handling, grasping, turning, and fine motor tasks involving tools, equipment, fasteners, and other small components.
• Ability to maintain the physical stamina necessary to work extended periods during emergency situations and under adverse weather conditions.

Mental Activity and Requirements

Reasoning and Judgment

• Ability to apply logical thinking and sound judgment to diagnose equipment problems, determine appropriate repairs, and respond to changing conditions.
• Ability to understand and follow safety requirements, operating procedures, technical instructions, and applicable regulations.
• Ability to respond effectively and efficiently to equipment failures, emergencies, and other situations requiring immediate attention.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize maintenance needs, and make sound decisions within established guidelines.
• Ability to provide direction and training to other maintenance personnel.

Mathematics

• Ability to perform basic arithmetic and measurements needed for mechanical work, inventory, parts, tools, and equipment.
• Ability to use electronic, mechanical, digital, and analog instruments and equipment.
• Ability to perform basic calculations related to equipment operation, including speed, flow, measurements, and other job-related applications.

Language Ability

• Reading: Ability to read and understand safety information, equipment manuals, work orders, operating procedures, reports, rules, regulations, and other job-related documents.
• Writing: Ability to complete maintenance records, reports, work orders, notes, labels, and other written documentation accurately.
• Speaking: Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with supervisors, coworkers, City personnel, contractors, and others in person, by telephone, and over two-way radio, including during emergency situations.

Environmental Conditions

Physical Surroundings

• Work is performed both indoors and outdoors and may involve exposure to extreme heat and cold, rain, sleet, snow, ice, fog, wind, and other adverse weather conditions.
• Work may require extended hours or emergency response during severe weather, equipment failures, or other emergency situations.
• Work may occur in or around wastewater treatment facilities, pump/lift stations, underground structures, and confined or enclosed spaces.
• May be exposed to sewage, wastewater, odors, dust, pollen, smoke, and other environmental conditions commonly associated with utility plant operations.
• Work may be performed in areas with elevated noise levels from pumps, motors, blowers, compressors, ventilation systems, and other mechanical equipment.

Hazards

• Potential exposure to grease, lubricants, petroleum products, chemicals, hazardous materials, sewage, wastewater, and other substances associated with water and wastewater treatment operations.
• Work may involve exposure to electrical, mechanical, chemical, biological, and other occupational hazards.
• Must follow OSHA requirements, City safety policies, and applicable procedures for personal protective equipment and safe work practices.

Machinery, Tools, and Equipment

Work may involve the use of service vehicles, boom trucks, personal computers, SCADA systems, hand and power tools, hoists, ladders, pumps and other mechanical equipment, two-way radios, telephones, and other tools and equipment used in the utility mechanic trade.

Our Commitments

The City of High Point is committed to be an Equal Opportunity Employer which celebrates diversity and seeks to attract and retain the best qualified partners in service to the Citizens of the City of High Point. The City of High Point is an at-will employer and employees may be terminated or may terminate their employment at any time with or without reason for any reason not prohibited by law.

The City of High Point is committed to classifying and compensating its employees fairly and equitably for the work they do weighed with both the internal capabilities and the external market. While the job description is not intended to and does not create a contract of employment, we are excited to use this “living document” as a guide for managing performance and positions to ensure job descriptions are reflective of the current work required by the incumbent or expected by any candidate to whom an offer of employment is extended.

The City of High Point is committed to providing a safe, comfortable working environment to all employees. To that end, we are proud to comply with all Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements, as well as make reasonable accommodations to candidates and employees as we are able in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Candidates selected for employment must undergo (a.) a physical to determine whether they will be able to safely complete the essential functions of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation (b.) a drug screening, in accordance with the City’s drug and alcohol policy and (c.) a background screening to determine whether there is any current, pending or previous charge, conviction or other infraction deemed incompatible with service in the capacity for which the candidate is being hired. Successful results from all three of these conditions will result in an offer of employment.

The work location of this job will be 1044 W Burton Rd Thomasville, North Carolina.

Our Commitments
The City of High Point is dedicated to fostering a work environment that values individuals from all backgrounds and seeks to attract and retain the most qualified partners in service to the citizens of High Point. As an at-will employer, the City allows employees to terminate their employment, or be terminated at any time, with or without cause, as long as it is not prohibited by law.

The City of High Point is committed to classifying and compensating its employees fairly for the work they do, weighing both the internal capabilities and the external market. While the job description is not intended to and does not create a contract of employment, we are excited to use this “living document” as a guide for managing performance and positions to ensure job descriptions are reflective of the current work required by the incumbent or expected by any candidate to whom an offer of employment is extended.

The City of High Point is committed to providing a safe, comfortable working environment for all employees. To that end, we are proud to comply with all Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements, as well as make reasonable accommodations to candidates and employees as we are able in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Candidates selected for employment must undergo (a.) a drug screening, in accordance with the City’s drug and alcohol policy and (b.) a background screening to determine whether there is any current, pending, or previous charge, conviction or other infraction deemed incompatible with service in the capacity for which the candidate is being hired. In lieu of or in addition to background screening, candidates selected for employment in a position that requires working with children in any capacity must be fingerprinted and undergo a criminal history record check conducted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Certain positions are considered so critical to the health and safety of others that a candidate cannot be placed in any such position without passing a pre-placement physical exam. The City offers employment to successful candidates conditioned upon the City’s receipt of satisfactory results from all required screenings, checks, and exams, as applicable.